2018 DxDP vs TIW help

Mmw37

Mouseketeer
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
I know this has been asked before, but it’s more confusing now with the addition of alcohol to the dining plans. Our group is myself, DH, and our boys (6 and 2). We have DVC and will be visiting twice in 2018, so will be upgrading to APs and eligible for TIW. Our first trip is in Jan. 3 nights at AK-Jambo and 4 at BWV. We’ll head back in late summer for probably 4 nights (waiting on work schedule). DH and I will have 2 drinks with most meals on vacation, and we pretty much only do TS with a signature dinner most nights. If we had TiW we’d probably do a bottle of wine with dinner most nights, but if DxDP I might have glasses and DH cocktails. Dining is a big part of our trips, and no we don’t drive to and from dinner, lol. We did DxDP on one other trip and I think we got our money’s worth, but TiW wasn’t an option that year. These are my ADRs so far. I might tweak a bit if we did DxDP.

1: Lunch TH, dinner Boma
2: L Skipper’s, D Jiko
3: L Sanaa, D Tiffin’s
4: L H&V, D Trattoria al Forno
5: B Garden Grill, L ?? (Snack credits?) D Flying Fish
6: L Crystal Palace, D Le Cellier (only DH and I this meal)
7: L Coral Reef, D Yachtsman
8: departure no ADRs

If we did TiW I would probably cancel Yachtsman, because we want to try Kimono sushi at the S/D. Might also cancel Coral Reef since that day is a late start for us at Epcot. If we do DxDP we will use snack credits for breakfast, and either way we’ll have groceries for the room. Also, we could add another sit-down meal or two with DxDP (or upgrade to a signature) and use credits for the adult meals only (pay cash for kids) to get more value.

Thoughts?
 
When I'm trying to make the choice between dining plan and TIW, I make a spreadsheet and calculate how much it would cost both ways. Figure out what you think you'd order add everything up and go from there. In January since you're doing a split, you could do the deluxe plan for the first part and not the second. Credits would be good through midnight of the AK stay. The mugs would be good for the whole trip.

And yes on deluxe the credits are pooled so you could pay out of pocket for kids meals and use the leftover credits for adult meals. That's a lot of food though. We tend to use 3 deluxe credits for 4 adults easily (or 6 at a signature), obviously not at buffet/family style. (Edit: pooling remains to be seen for 2018, most think it will remain but others think it may end. We won't know until January when people start using the "new" plans that include alcohol).

Since you have kids I think the math works in favor of the dining plan, but you'll have to check. As adults only, we always buy TIW, but will sometimes do the deluxe dining plan if we have a short split stay at the beginning of a trip.
 
I was considering doing Dx for only half the trip too. I’ve priced it on the online calculator, but that doesn’t figure in drink costs. I know I should just sit down and do it by hand, but im procrastinating, lol. We don’t go until mid-Jan, so I can wait and read the first few reports on how the drink part works. Also, my youngest will eat free at buffets but we’ll be paying OOP for him everywhere else - he has a huge appetite for a 2.5 y/o and won’t be happy to just graze off of our plates.
 
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I was considering doing Dx for only half the trip too. I’ve priced it on the online calculator, but that doesn’t figure in drink costs. I know I should just sit down and do it by hand, but im procrastinating, lol. We don’t go until mid-Jan, so I can wait and read the first few reports on how the drink part works. Also, my youngest will eat free at buffets but we’ll be paying OOP for him everywhere else - he has a huge appetite for a 2.5 y/o and won’t be happy to just graze off of our plates.

You could age up the 2.5 yr old to 3 if you want if you're doing the deluxe, depending how much you think he'll eat if it would be worth it. Then you'd have extra credits since you wouldn't use any on buffets for him. Since you're DVC it's not an issue. Different story if it was a package with tickets.

I've also read that many places will let your 6 year old order adult meals and apps/desserts on the deluxe plan. So if you had 3 full apps, 3 full entrees, and 3 full desserts, I'd think that would be plenty for 2 adults and 2 children. Again, subject to change, and you'll have time to decide once 2018 reports start coming in. It also depends if your kids will eat those types of adult foods or not. And how the kids would deal with sharing. As adults, we have no issue doing 3 deluxe meals for 4 people and just sharing everything, but I know that could be more difficult throwing children in the mix.
 


Yeah, that’s true too. Good idea. We don’t feed “kid foods” at home and I cook pretty eclectically, but they are accustomed to ordering off the kids’ menu in restaurants. They think of grilled cheese and such as a treat, unfortunately. Still, I might be able to sell it.


You could age up the 2.5 yr old to 3 if you want if you're doing the deluxe, depending how much you think he'll eat if it would be worth it. Then you'd have extra credits since you wouldn't use any on buffets for him. Since you're DVC it's not an issue. Different story if it was a package with tickets.

I've also read that many places will let your 6 year old order adult meals and apps/desserts on the deluxe plan. So if you had 3 full apps, 3 full entrees, and 3 full desserts, I'd think that would be plenty for 2 adults and 2 children. Again, subject to change, and you'll have time to decide once 2018 reports start coming in. It also depends if your kids will eat those types of adult foods or not. And how the kids would deal with sharing. As adults, we have no issue doing 3 deluxe meals for 4 people and just sharing everything, but I know that could be more difficult throwing children in the mix.
 
Hm. Still clear as mud, lol. I sucked it up and made a spreadsheet, and we’re looking at a total cost of around $2304 with DxDP vs 2407 with TiW after buying the card. I did add two more meals (Cape May breakfast and Biergarten lunch) so we could use all of our credits, and I didn’t assign any value to snacks (except two days we’ll definitely use them for breakfast) or to the cups. TiW we would likely make up on our next visit, but not much actual savings. So leaning towards DxDP so we can prepay and not worry about what we order. My older boy will get his money’s worth at all of the buffets and at Yachtsman (he loves prime rib), and maybe I can talk him into ordering off the adult menu a few other places.
 
Until I remembered to remove the meals that I only added to make the DxDP worthwhile. When I replaced Yachtsman with Kimono and replaced Cape May and Biergarten with QS and snacks, TiW comes out to $2205. Plus hubby and I may occasionally split a few apps and an entree or something if we don’t feel pressured to get our money’s worth. I’ll have to talk to hubby - they’re close enough that neithe choice is bad...
 



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